Card Making Tutorials: Trifold Shutter Card

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Have you scrolled past shutter card tutorials and thought, “that looks way too complicated for me”? I was right there with you. This fold sat on my “someday, maybe” list for the longest time. Intricate. Fussy. Exactly the kind of project I’d mess up on camera in front of everybody.

Then one Fun Fold Friday, I searched for a little inspiration. “Fun fold” popped up, and the trifold shutter card was the first result. No more excuses. It turns out this might be one of the easiest fun folds I’ve ever made, and now I have a full fun fold card tutorial to share with you.

What Is a Trifold Shutter Card?

A shutter card gets its name from the way the front panels open like little shutters. Here, the panels fold and layer to add movement and dimension, with no complicated mechanisms involved. You build the whole thing from a single sheet of cardstock. Careful cutting and scoring does all the work, so you never assemble separate pieces or line anything up. Watch the fold happen once, and you’ll understand exactly why crafters call it a “fun” fold.

Why This Fold Is a Favorite for Fall

I made this card with one of my favorite seasonal cardstock designs: a soft, pearlized paper covered in pumpkins, leaves, and warm rust and brown tones. It has the thickness of true cardstock, and the back stays print-free. That print-free back makes cutting and layering easier, since you never have to think about which side is which.

I added a coordinating leaf stamp set and punch for dimensional leaves throughout the design. Fussy-cut pumpkins and flowers fill the corners for extra texture. The result is a card with real depth, the kind that makes someone stop and turn it over before they even read what’s inside.

A Card With a Story Behind It

I made this particular card for my neighbor. She lent me her mother’s walker while I recovered from knee surgery, so I skipped the bulky rental. I no longer needed it once I got steady on my feet again. I wanted to send it back with more than a “thank you” text, though. A handmade card, plus a loaf of pumpkin bread, felt like the right way to say it.

That’s really the heart of why I make fun fold cards at all. I’m not just practicing a technique. I’m creating something meaningful to hand someone when words alone don’t feel like enough.

Watch How It Comes Together

I’d rather show you this fold than walk through every cut and score line here. Folds like this one make much more sense in motion than on a written page. Grab your coffee and watch the full video tutorial. You’ll see exactly how this trifold shutter card comes together, from a single sheet of cardstock to a finished, dimensional card.

Want the exact measurements, cutting guide, and scoring chart so you can make your own? Grab the full printable tutorial for this trifold shutter card in my shop. It walks you through every measurement from the video, so you can recreate this card at home without any guesswork.

Supplies I Used to Make This Card

Everything I used for this card comes from Stampin’ Up!, including the Glow of Harvest designer series paper, the Simply Leaves stamp and punch bundle, and coordinating cardstock in Crumb Cake and Basic White. Keep in mind that Stampin’ Up! rotates their product line regularly, so some of these items may be retired or discontinued by the time you read this. Don’t worry — any heavy, decorative cardstock will work beautifully for this fold, so feel free to substitute with whatever seasonal paper you love. If you’d like to shop what’s currently available, you can find my full online store below.

Product List

Never Miss a Fun Fold Friday

I go live every Friday at noon Central on Facebook and YouTube for Fun Fold Friday. Each week, we make a new fun fold card together, and I share the full tutorial right here on the blog afterward. My email subscribers also get a free downloadable version in their inbox that same afternoon.

Want in on the next one? Sign up for my email list before this Friday’s live, and you won’t miss the card or the free tutorial that goes with it.